LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Axver said:
What "casual fan" will have done that? 
Drop which songs???
- Thread starter gman
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What "casual fan" will have done that? IanIinTheSky
Acrobat
Just because they drop BTBS doesn't mean it has to be replaced by a song that is just like it ala L&PoE.
BonoIsMyMuse
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Dropping Pride will make more room for Two Hearts Beat As One's glorious return next tour 
And Bullet hasn't been given its due since Popmart--they either need to resurrect that version or put it away.
I liked WOWY not being played every night on the first leg of Vertigo. By the third leg, the performances of it were predictable and downright boring, and the song deserves better.
I'd like to see both Elevation and Beautiful Day get the boot, too, but I don't see that happening.
And Bullet hasn't been given its due since Popmart--they either need to resurrect that version or put it away.
I liked WOWY not being played every night on the first leg of Vertigo. By the third leg, the performances of it were predictable and downright boring, and the song deserves better.
I'd like to see both Elevation and Beautiful Day get the boot, too, but I don't see that happening.
LemonMelon said:
Most? The average casual fan I know will go see U2 when they're in town. That's just once every 4 years at the current rate if you live in North America or Europe, less elsewhere. I know some casual fans (very much casual fans) down here who've seen U2 in 1989, 1993, 1998, and 2006, and they've heard Pride, WOWY, Streets, ISHFWILF, NYD at every gig. Even they have expressed to me that they don't want to hear the same old songs again! So this "casual fans don't care if U2 play Pride at every gig" nonsense is exactly that, nonsense.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Axver said:
Are you sure they're "casual" fans...? I think someone who's known and loved the band's music for decades is probably not casual. If that's the case, I'm less than casual.
And if they are casual, then who exactly is hardcore?
LemonMelon said:
Are you sure they're "casual" fans...? I think someone who's known and loved the band's music for decades is probably not casual. If that's the case, I'm less than casual.
And if they are casual, then who exactly is hardcore?
OK, let's see. They own the Best Ofs, The Joshua Tree, and if we're lucky, Achtung Baby and HTDAAB. They enjoy the radio hits. When they hear U2 will be in town, they think "oh yeah, U2's music is good, I'll go".
That's pretty casual.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Axver said:
It cost me $520 (not including hotel/travel costs) for me to see U2 one time.
I figured not every "casual" fan would feel like doing that every tour.
Either that or they got cheap tickets.
In that case, I wish I would have been out there in Oz. 
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
$520 not including travel costs??? Was that all for one ticket? I don't think you'd see any casual fan spending that, unless they're filthy rich.
LemonMelon said:
It cost me $520 (not including hotel/travel costs) for me to see U2 one time.
I figured not every "casual" fan would feel like doing that every tour.
All they do is buy a ticket on Ticketmaster/Ticketek then pay petrol costs to drive to and from the stadium in their city. $120 or so all told.Though my father and his partner flew from Wellington to Auckland this tour and they're definitely only casual fans. But then again, they wrote off most of the costs as business expenses.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
corianderstem said:
No, that was for two tickets.
The travel wasn't that long...about 4 hours. 
The seats were pretty damn great though...right above the sound booth (I think I spotted Edge's guitar tech! )
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
Two tickets makes more sense, not sure why that didn't occur to me. But yeah, that's pretty pricey.
But if it's the only show you're going to see, I know the feeling to want to see them no matter how much it costs.
But if it's the only show you're going to see, I know the feeling to want to see them no matter how much it costs.
toscano
Refugee
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gman said:
Pride
Bullet
New Years Day
Sunday Bloody Sunday
One
With or Without You (one of my top 5 U2 songs ever, but Bono hasn't sung it well in years and Larry hasn't drummed it well since 1989)
adrball
Refugee
PRIDE is feeling really tired...even though it's one of my all time favourites. I'd also like them to drop ONE just to remember again what a U2 show feels like without it. SBS is probably another one.
Streets should never be dropped.
Streets should never be dropped.
ZOOTVTOURist
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Well, looking at the staples in U2's setlist, I'd like to suggest several things:
From BOY there's one tune, that comes first and survives whole tours as the most played song from the 1st and 2nd album album: "I Will Follow". Though I like it - if played in full version, with a hard and fast pace - I still hope there will be more variety reagrding this era. There are still tunes that might be rediscovered ("Twilight", "Tomorrow", "I Fall Down" or "October"). Am I crazy? Just think about somebody before 2005 with the prophecy, that "The Electric Co." would be kind of a regular during the next U2 tour ...
From WAR I do hope, that the classics "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year' Day" might change from every night regulars to tunes, that will be played occasionally in the sets, maybe not together in one show. By the way, these tunes are not tired at all: Just listen to the "Rock The Casbah"-versions, especially on the last leg and take N.Y.D. from Melbourne's 1st night - wow!
From THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE it is now really time to get the brilliant title track back in the setlists plus a more the welcome return of a well rehearsed version of "A Sort Of Homecoming". Yes, "Pride" is more popular. Yes, "Pride" is an important political statement. Yes, "Pride" is a #1 single - but this tune doesn't deserve to be cut off before the ending and be converted to a crowd pleaser "oh-oh-oh-oh" chorus a la football stadium atmosphere. Before doing even worse to "Pride" put it in the rotating slots like the WAR classics - and play it complete, when you're up for the song.
From THE JOSHUA TREE we've got the first album side as a staple in U2's setlists (maybe "Running To Stand Still" should be excluded from this theory...). From these tunes really only "Streets" stands the test of time. This should be the ONLY regular in the sets from the 80ies. It's the live moment in perfection - for 1st timers and more experienced afficionados alltogether. Regarding "Found" it has to be played from time to time - with feeling & spirit. "With Or Without You" is in the same dilemma as "Pride" - it stands more and more NOT for the brilliant piece of music and lyrics, but for a big "oh-oh-oh-oh"-football chorus as an ending. Nope, it's a bitter tune - play it like that, including the often missing lost verse plus fitting snippets. Yes, love will tear us apart - again! "Bullet the Blue Sky" has been cut short, too on the last tour. Give it a rest and rediscover other tunes as anti-war statements. Why not "Mothers Of The Disappeared" from the same album or "God Part II" from RATTLE AND HUM.
From ACHTUNG BABY there is of course one tune: "One". And yes, this tune has to be played, too, every night. But you can change the arrangement and stop the routine with that: Play it full electric one evening, the next in an acoustic arrangement a la Thalia Theater Hamburg in the ZOO TV times. Or also more stripped down, as it is the basis of the great '95 Modena version by Bono & The Edge.
There is one last staple I do see coming: "Beautiful Day". I don't need it every night, too - so just put in on the rotating slots of the setlists. And then: Rock it!
From BOY there's one tune, that comes first and survives whole tours as the most played song from the 1st and 2nd album album: "I Will Follow". Though I like it - if played in full version, with a hard and fast pace - I still hope there will be more variety reagrding this era. There are still tunes that might be rediscovered ("Twilight", "Tomorrow", "I Fall Down" or "October"). Am I crazy? Just think about somebody before 2005 with the prophecy, that "The Electric Co." would be kind of a regular during the next U2 tour ...
From WAR I do hope, that the classics "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year' Day" might change from every night regulars to tunes, that will be played occasionally in the sets, maybe not together in one show. By the way, these tunes are not tired at all: Just listen to the "Rock The Casbah"-versions, especially on the last leg and take N.Y.D. from Melbourne's 1st night - wow!
From THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE it is now really time to get the brilliant title track back in the setlists plus a more the welcome return of a well rehearsed version of "A Sort Of Homecoming". Yes, "Pride" is more popular. Yes, "Pride" is an important political statement. Yes, "Pride" is a #1 single - but this tune doesn't deserve to be cut off before the ending and be converted to a crowd pleaser "oh-oh-oh-oh" chorus a la football stadium atmosphere. Before doing even worse to "Pride" put it in the rotating slots like the WAR classics - and play it complete, when you're up for the song.
From THE JOSHUA TREE we've got the first album side as a staple in U2's setlists (maybe "Running To Stand Still" should be excluded from this theory...). From these tunes really only "Streets" stands the test of time. This should be the ONLY regular in the sets from the 80ies. It's the live moment in perfection - for 1st timers and more experienced afficionados alltogether. Regarding "Found" it has to be played from time to time - with feeling & spirit. "With Or Without You" is in the same dilemma as "Pride" - it stands more and more NOT for the brilliant piece of music and lyrics, but for a big "oh-oh-oh-oh"-football chorus as an ending. Nope, it's a bitter tune - play it like that, including the often missing lost verse plus fitting snippets. Yes, love will tear us apart - again! "Bullet the Blue Sky" has been cut short, too on the last tour. Give it a rest and rediscover other tunes as anti-war statements. Why not "Mothers Of The Disappeared" from the same album or "God Part II" from RATTLE AND HUM.
From ACHTUNG BABY there is of course one tune: "One". And yes, this tune has to be played, too, every night. But you can change the arrangement and stop the routine with that: Play it full electric one evening, the next in an acoustic arrangement a la Thalia Theater Hamburg in the ZOO TV times. Or also more stripped down, as it is the basis of the great '95 Modena version by Bono & The Edge.
There is one last staple I do see coming: "Beautiful Day". I don't need it every night, too - so just put in on the rotating slots of the setlists. And then: Rock it!
dietcokeofevil
War Child
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- Messages
- 577
Drop ALL of the workhorse songs temporarily at least.
I'm talking about STREETS too...
Sorry, but that's the way I feel.
I'm talking about STREETS too...
Sorry, but that's the way I feel.
I have to agree with those who say that Where the Streets Have No Name is essential and should never be dropped. Larry Mullen Jr. is right that the studio performance of this song "isn't half the song it is live" (U2 by U2, p 185).
I also agree that Bullet the Blue Sky -- in my view, one of the most overrated songs ever -- can be dropped. Bono's political dronings at the end have long since become boring and tedious (in a way that Sunday Bloody Sunday never will -- that song should continue).
Either With or Without You or One should be part of every performance, but not necessarily both. Ditto with Pride and/or New Year's Day.
Every single song from Zooropa should be dropped, because the album is an embarassment, and the group should pretend they never recorded it. (Pop isn't much better.)
I'd like to see Drowning Man, A Sort of Homecoming, One Tree Hill, and Ultraviolet performed more regularly.
I also agree that Bullet the Blue Sky -- in my view, one of the most overrated songs ever -- can be dropped. Bono's political dronings at the end have long since become boring and tedious (in a way that Sunday Bloody Sunday never will -- that song should continue).
Either With or Without You or One should be part of every performance, but not necessarily both. Ditto with Pride and/or New Year's Day.
Every single song from Zooropa should be dropped, because the album is an embarassment, and the group should pretend they never recorded it. (Pop isn't much better.)
I'd like to see Drowning Man, A Sort of Homecoming, One Tree Hill, and Ultraviolet performed more regularly.
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